The AV-8 team poses in front of the last TAV-8B Harrier trainer to be completed by Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) before it was delivered to Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The Marine Corps is replacing the aging AV-8 Harrier platform with the more high-tech F-35 Lightning II. FRCE is expected to complete its AV-8 workload by the end of Fiscal Year 2024 Release from Naval Air Systems Command  *****  Published:  Jun 2, 2023  MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C.–Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE) has reached another milest ..read more

Release from Naval Sea Systems Command  *****  By Team Ships Public Affairs  Pascagoula, MS – The keel for the future USS Pittsburgh (LPD 31), a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock, was ceremonially laid at Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Ingalls Shipbuilding division, June 2.  The ship is the fifth Navy vessel to be named for the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and its surrounding region, which play a central role in our national defense infrastructure. The most recent USS Pittsburgh (SSN 720) was a Los Angeles-class submarine, which served the Navy from December ..read more

Release from Textron Systems *****  June 01, 2023  TEXTRON SYSTEMS AND ANDURIL INDUSTRIES DEMONSTRATE INTEROPERABILITY OF AEROSONDE® UAS AND LATTICE FOR MISSION AUTONOMY SOFTWARE  Hunt Valley, Maryland and Irvine, California, JUNE 1, 2023 – Textron Systems Corporation, a Textron Inc. (NYSE:TXT) company, and Anduril Industries, a defense technology company, completed a successful demonstration of a Textron Systems Aerosonde® Hybrid Quad (HQ) UAS operated with multiple payloads onboard to simulate and geolocate threat emitters.  During the demonstration, an operator conducted ..read more

RELEASE DATE:  01JUN   Release from U.S. Coast Guard Pacific Area   *****  HEADLINE: U.S., Philippine, Japan Coast Guards to conduct trilateral engagements      MANILA, Philippines — The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton (WMSL 752) and crew arrived in Manila on Thursday to conduct professional exchanges and joint operations with members of the Philippine and Japan Coast Guards during Stratton’s months-long Indo-Pacific deployment.    Members from the three Coast Guards will engage in the first ever group of trilateral activities at sea and in port during a mu ..read more

Release from Kraken Robotics  **************  ST. JOHN’S, NEWFOUNDLAND, May 31, 2023 /GLOBE NEWSWIRE/ — Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF) announces a $9.5 million contract to supply high-resolution seabed mapping sonar equipment to a navy in Asia-Pacific. The customer cannot be named at this time. Under the scope of the contract, Kraken will deliver its KATFISH high-speed minehunting solution. The contract also includes a variety of support and sustainment options, including training, spares and operational support.  Under the acquisition contract, Kraken will del ..read more

Release from U.S. Fleet Forces Command  *****************  26 May 2023  NORFOLK, Va. – The Navy has released a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the homeporting of the Columbia Class submarines at Naval Submarine Base (NSB) Kings Bay.     The Navy proposes to establish facilities and functions at NSB Kings Bay to support the homeporting of Columbia Class submarines as replacements for the retiring Ohio Class submarines currently homeported at NSB Kings Bay. Under the Proposed Action, the Navy would construct eight facilities, modify five facilities, and demolish ..read more

Release from Northrop Grumman ***********  BOULDER, Colo. – June 1, 2023 – Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) recently completed a successful preliminary design review (PDR) of Relay Ground Station-Asia (RGS-A) for the U.S. Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Pacific.  RGS-A will connect critical legacy and next-generation satellites and end users.  The successful PDR confirms the company is on track to transform the existing missile-warning system.  The review was completed a month ahead of schedule, demonstrating the company’s ability to rapidly meet changing ..read more

KEY WEST, Fla. (Nov. 6, 2020) An F-5N Tiger-II from the “Sun Downers” of Fighter Squadron Composite (VFC) 111 takes off from Naval Air Station Key West’s Boca Chica Field during the last day of training before the potential bad weather resulting from Tropical Storm Eta. Naval Air Station Key West is the state-of-the-art facility for combat fighter aircraft of all military services, provides world-class pierside support to U.S. and foreign naval vessels, and is the premier training center for surface and subsurface military operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Danette Baso Silvers) Release from NAS ..read more

***********  ARLINGTON, Va. — President Joe Biden has nominated Marine Corps General Eric M. Smith as the next commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, Defense Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a May 31 release.   Smith currently is serving as the 36th assistant commandant of the Marine Corps. If confirmed by the Senate, Smith would be come the 38th commandant.   Smith, a combat veteran of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, has served in senior positions that developed the doctrine of the Marine Corps and has been instrumental in implementing Commandant Gene ..read more

Photo By Sgt. Israel Chincio | U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division, participate in the unit’s deactivation ceremony on Marine Corps Base Hawaii, May 26, 2023. The deactivation is in accordance with Force Design 2030’s modernization efforts. The battalion has played a valuable role in setting conditions for the 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, and future MLRs, to provide combat ready and lethal forces in the Indo-Pacific. 3d MLR and 12th Marines, which is scheduled to transition to an MLR in 2025, will provide ready and capable stand-in forces to the first is ..read more